My Goodnes you guys write lengthy stuff about this theme, almost like a dissertation, that someone reads?
I have to agree w. dibblejr: It's all in our heads.
I've just read an article yesterday about 35%! of all modern people (Europe, USA, Japan etc.) suffer from depressions. And i can see that in my older family, some seem to get strange and cookoo.
So, why should soldiers, who have experienced unusual things, not have PSD? The US Gov gives them a vet benefit for it and they (the gov, we all) can't prove otherwise.
Sometimes I thank the Army for giving me a Psycho test when I got in. I have experienced some gruesome things and don't have PTSD. Excuse me, I know that all people are different and feel different. So, why not develop a test for the military, police, FireDep, Medics etc. that sieves out folks who feel ill at ease about gruesome things that happen and are part of life.
I sometimes admire my dog: He bites, scratches, barks, fights, runs after stuff; but when he is done he eats his pot full, rolls up and is happy with everyone. No PTSD afterwards.
Something else: Some Armies have a special test for their applicants in combat arms: They must kill an animal with their own hands during BCT (no shooting) . Usually it is a rabbit, chicken, fish or guinea pig. They pass if they can do it. Strangely few of the grads ever develop PTSD. Is that perhaps a test for the US Army?
Don't come to me with nasty comments about this, ask your Psychiatrist why that works against PTSD.

Our Special Forces & Rangers had to kill a rabbit (or a chicken sometimes), clean it, cook it & eat it in their training. PETA got word of that some years back & put a stop to it through pressure on politicians.

Proud Dad of a US Army Airborne Ranger SFC
Retired US Army 1SG/MSG, Airborne Infantry, G-3, Instructor
Former USN - Submarines, USS Chopper (SS 342) & Navy Diver, UDT 21
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

Our Special Forces & Rangers had to kill a rabbit (or a chicken sometimes), clean it, cook it & eat it in their training. PETA got word of that some years back & put a stop to it through pressure on politicians.

I was watching the Surviving The Cut series and I forget which group they were following but they had to kill either a rabbit or chicken, cook it, and eat it in order to pass. So I guess they are still doing it for some elite groups.

[EDIT]

Now that I thought about it for a second I think it was the Sapper School that did it.

I saw one of the "Surviving the Cut" programs or something similar recently where they used chickens & rabbits. There was a disclaimer that said the practice was now banned since that was filmed. My son didn't have to kill anything in any of his Ranger training in '04 & '05 but they had been doing that shortly before he got there.

Proud Dad of a US Army Airborne Ranger SFC
Retired US Army 1SG/MSG, Airborne Infantry, G-3, Instructor
Former USN - Submarines, USS Chopper (SS 342) & Navy Diver, UDT 21
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

68W (back then it was 91B) Medical BNCOC in '98 included lifesaving surgical procedures (Needle Chest Decompression, Needle Thoracentesis, Needle and Surgical Cricothyroidotomy, Venous Cutdown and Needle Pericardiocentesis) on a live caprine animal model. I was and am grateful to that goat for sacrificing his life so that I was prepared to save the lives of my brother and sister Soldiers if necessary.

68W4P, 31B4P, 0341, 0844
24 years and DONE!!!

"Even if you know that a certain illustration in an art book is from the Kama Sutra, don't point that out to your art history class. They will think you're a pervert." - seen at learnfrommyfail.com

Proud Dad of a US Army Airborne Ranger SFC
Retired US Army 1SG/MSG, Airborne Infantry, G-3, Instructor
Former USN - Submarines, USS Chopper (SS 342) & Navy Diver, UDT 21
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.